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Eggs may become safer, according to scientists who evaluated a new process to remove allergens.

The U.S. Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry will be publishing a study next month that describes a new process to greatly reduce allergens in eggs, reports Linda Rano at Food Navagator.com. The process could greatly benefit food manufacturers, allowing for the production of safer and more specialized food products for egg allergy sufferers.

The food newsletter says that in the study, chemists from Germany and Switzerland describe how during “a nine-step process” they exposed raw eggs to a combination of high heat and enzymes to break down their main allergens. The researchers then tested the reduced-allergen egg against blood serum collected from people with an egg allergy.

The study reports that the modified egg product is 100 times less allergenic than raw egg. In addition, the scientists say that the modified egg does not significantly alter flavor and texture when used in various products.

Rano reported that hen’s egg is one of the most frequent causes of adverse reactions to food in children, and this may be carried through into adult life. Egg allergies can cause severe stomach pains and rashes. In rare cases, death can occur.